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The restoration of the Nuruosmaniye Library and the Şehsuvar Sultan Tomb, both part of the historic Nuruosmaniye Complex, has been completed under a project carried out by the General Directorate of Foundations, the Culture and Tourism Ministry said on Saturday.
Construction of the Nuruosmaniye Complex began during the reign of Sultan Mahmud I and was completed a year after his death by Sultan Osman III. The baroque-style complex was designed by architects Simoen (Sinan) Kalfa and Mustafa Ağa and includes a mosque, madrassa, soup kitchen, library, tomb, fountain and shops. The library within the complex stands out as a distinctive example of Ottoman baroque architecture.
The library features an upper-floor reading room and an archive. One of its two entrances is the Hümayun Gate, which bears an Arabic inscription meaning “Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave.”
The Şehsuvar Valide Sultan Tomb, located inside the complex, consists of two sections and contains 19 sarcophagi. Historical accounts identify it as the burial place of Şehsuvar Valide Sultan, the mother of Osman III, though the identities of the other sarcophagi remain unknown.
Project supervisor and engineer Keriman Dursun told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the library had suffered fire damage and had been left in a state of severe disrepair, remaining closed for many years.
Taking into account the risk of a future major Istanbul earthquake, teams conducted structural analyses before beginning reinforcement work. “The lead covering of the roof was removed and strengthening procedures were carried out. Inside, especially because of the fire, there was heavy soot and contamination, which we cleaned. Many of the exterior stones had lost their structural integrity or become deformed over time, so those were also replaced,” Dursun said.
She noted that both structures contain traditional painted ornamentation due to their baroque style. “The visible decorative work was restored, and the motifs hidden beneath layers of paint were carefully uncovered using the rasping method. Cement-based additions from previous interventions were also removed,” she said.
Dursun said the restoration team returned the library to its original elevation level. “Over time, debris had accumulated and the stairs leading down to the basement had been buried. In line with the Conservation Board-approved project, the structure was restored to its authentic form,” she said.
Similar work was carried out at the Şehsuvar Sultan Tomb, she added. “The lead roof covering was renewed, and the dome was reinforced. Cement-based additions were removed. The 19 sarcophagi inside were carefully restored, their cloth coverings renewed, and their mother-of-pearl-inlaid wooden railings and decorative artwork were revived. Exterior joint repairs and cleaning of the marble surfaces were also completed. Wooden elements in both buildings were replaced, and landscaping work was finalized.”
Exterior restoration included replacing the lead roofing and reinforcing the upper structures with carbon textile mesh. Damaged lintels and window frames were repaired, while atmospheric soot and limestone deposits covering the façade were removed through controlled micro-sandblasting. Joints were renewed, and all surfaces were protected against weathering.
Interior work involved cleaning soot, polymer buildup and salt deposits from marble surfaces. Original marble and stone elements showing granular deterioration were consolidated. Non-original concrete flooring was removed and replaced with marble matching the original design. Wooden elements and interior linings were restored, and original plasters were reinforced using micro-injection methods. Inscription panels above the doors and gilded details on column capitals were renewed.
Inside the tomb, the wooden structures and cloth covers of the sarcophagi were replaced. Mother-of-pearl separators and the calligraphic frieze in “celi sülüs” script were restored with gold leaf.
